The Institute of Comparative Culture and the Catholic Jesuit Center join to invite you to a premier of a special film showing of the "Refuge in Religion" by Rosa Barbaran
Date: December 5th
Time: 17:15
Location: the Catholic Jesuit Center, Bldg. #2 1st floor
(And a photo exhibition "Home" will be held from December 5th to 16th, 2022 at the Lobby of Building #2)
This short film is about how religion is used as a coping mechanism to survive the strenuous system of refugee and asylum seekers in Japan. The story is about 3 African asylum seekers in Tokyo who endured a previous life of persecution in which religion was prevalent throughout their lives. Once arriving to Japan and encountering even more difficulties, religion becomes the one source of hope, connections and alleviation of their pain, stress, loneliness and suffering while helping them continue fighting to get through their day by day.
Rosa Barbaran, the Director of the film's comment:
While many people have sought asylum in Japan, the government has continuously hidden the actual situation of how refugees are forced to live here. Seven individuals opened their homes and shared their valuable stories. A look through their homes can help us understand their present situation. But I hope it also allows us a glimpse into their past and memories of their lives back home, as well as their struggles during their journey as a refugee.
Rosa Barbaran, a graduate of Faculty of Liberal Arts at Sophia University, is now an aspiring independent filmmaker and photographer currently working as a filmmaker of refugee life and politics in Tokyo while supporting the refugee community with her art and volunteer activities in her private time.
This Event is hosted by Prof. David Slater as part of the Sophia University Institute of Comparative Culture Collaborative Research Unit, Digital Social Science and Oral Narrative Research (2018- )
Flyer Download: PDF
For those interested, Sophia Refugee Support Group will also be hosting a Refugee Café on December 11th.
If you are interested in attending, please contact David Slater (d-slater@sophia.ac.jp).